The Barred Owl and the Goshawk appear to be the greatest threat to the grouse population in Vermont where I do 90% of my upland hunting. The (roughly) ten-year cycles of Ruffed Grouse and other small game can probably be attributed to the increase in numbers of predators when these game birds are approaching their population apex. Then, as their numbers decrease drastically because of predation, the populations of predators decrease consequentially allowing the gamebird's populations to increase again.
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